My neighbor nextdoor

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4pm, the heat in my room was so unbearable that I could not bear it any longer. I decided to go outside to sit on my porch and watch the rest of the day become dusk. Barely ten minutes had passed with me sitting all alone, in silence, when Laura came out of her house too. She was my nextdoor neighbour whom I secretly had a crush on.

"Hey Jan!" She greeted me.
"Evening, Laura!" I answered nervously.
She made that kind of smile that showed no teeth and sat quietly in her rocking chair. I wanted to say something but I was too timid to find anything to say. As if she knew of my restlessness, she broke the silence.

"So, what do you think about Donnie's killing?"
Donnie was a cartel boss who had just been killed in a turf war with a rival cartel. The story had been all over the news for twelve hours.
"Serves him right, and good riddance too." I said, trying to sound a little bolder.
"I wonder why people take to crime and violence in the first place."
"It's a cave mentality." I said.
She made that smile again before responding.
"Yes, and I think violent people are under the influence of stupid pills. Haha"
This time her teeth were a bit visible. It killed me watching her burst into laughter after saying that.
"That's right, I think I buy into your theory." I remarked, feigning a laughter too.

I had always thought of Laura as one of those girls with superficial interests. I never could have imagined that she listened to the news and could engage so interestingly. I could have bet my life that she only did Instagram and Twitter. I was still reflecting on how wrong I had been about her when she interrupted.
"Hey, I'm making Tacos tonight, why don't you come to my place for dinner?"

Thanks for reading.
This is a freewrite with the prompts: Theory, influence and cave.